'Make America Healthy Again' Report Cites Nonexistent Studies: Authors

Published: Thursday, May 29, 2025 at 7:42 pm

"Make America Healthy Again" Report Faces Scrutiny Over Fabricated Studies

A highly anticipated White House report, "Make America Healthy Again" (MAHA), outlining US Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s agenda on children's health, is facing serious questions after it was revealed to cite non-existent studies. The report, released on May 22nd by a presidential commission, has been criticized for including broken citation links and attributing papers to authors who deny writing them.

At least four studies referenced in the MAHA report have been confirmed as fabricated by the listed authors. Researchers from Columbia University and Baylor College of Medicine, whose names appeared in the citations, told AFP that the papers either don't exist or were not authored by them. One citation was linked to a non-existent article in the peer-reviewed medical journal JAMA. The journal's spokesperson confirmed that the study was never published.

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt acknowledged "formatting issues" and stated the report would be updated. She maintained confidence in Kennedy and his team, asserting their work was "backed on good science." However, the Democratic National Committee has criticized the report, calling it "rife with misinformation."

The report's release comes amid controversy surrounding Kennedy's appointment as health secretary, given his history of promoting vaccine misinformation. The report's focus on chronic diseases and criticism of "over-medicalization" of children, including the use of psychiatric drugs and antibiotics, has raised further concerns. The report also appears to reference discredited theories about the causes of autism. The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) declined to comment, referring questions to the White House.

Keywords: Make America Healthy Again, MAHA, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., White House report, fabricated studies, non-existent studies, citation errors, children's health, vaccine misinformation, autism, JAMA, Columbia University, Baylor College of Medicine, Karoline Leavitt, health secretary, chronic disease, misinformation, over-medicalization, pediatric health, health policy, US health.

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